Kotori no Tama
by Inuki
Summary: She is a lover and a whore. But who is she really? Lord Inu-Yasha is driven to find out. He would risk everything to find her hidden soul. AU: Mature readers only. (Chapter 6 new)
1. Death and Rebirth

Kotori no Tama   
by. Inuki 

Prologue: Death and Rebirth 

  
  
  
  
  


The sounds of passion echoed through out the luxurious room. Two shadows interwined in rhythm behind the silk curtains of the bed. The only source of illumination was the flickering light of twelve candles circling the bed. With a final shudder and sigh, the shadows lethargically untangled from each other to form two distinct shapes before the shadows merged once again. 

"That was _very_ satisfying, my dear." The man whispered huskily to his lover's ear. 

Without replying, the woman drifted off to sleep. But even the silence of the night and the soft glow of the candlelight gave the woman no rest from her memories - and demons. With each flick of light, she drifted from consciousness to the unconscious dreaming of long suppressed memories. 

_ "Mama, Papa, I picked some flowers for you." A little girl with long black hair ran into her home located between the edge of town and the dark forest, her gray eyes sparkling with excitement at her discovery. Her mother looked up briefly from her weaving to smile prettily to her and her father paused to pat her affectionly on the head before heading back to the harvesting fields._

_ These images of happier times shifted through the woman's mind. Gradually, darker and sadder memories overcame the happy ones. The war had came. Her father was called away to duty to fight off the invaders and her mother became ill during an especially harsh winter, almost losing the baby in her womb. Her mother still wove until exhausted everyday despite the pregnancy and her delicate health. The news of father's death reached their home shortly after baby's birth._

_ She tried to take care of her mother and the baby, but because of war, everything became so expensive. She had to borrow extraordinary amount of money to pay for her mother's medicine, food and finally transportation for her mother and the baby when she could no longer care for them the way they needed. When a kind elderly uncle heard of their trouble, he offered them a home in Edo._

_ When all the affairs at the home of her birth had been settled, she realized that there was no way she could ever raise enough money to pay back the debt collectors. And before she could even think of an alternative way of paying them back, they had found her. They offered her two choices, pay the debt with her life or her body. She chose to pay back the debt with her body. The next day, she was sold to Ichiban no Sakura._

_ It was there she had _lived_ for the past three years of her life. The only thing that kept her going was the hope of seeing her mother and baby sister once again. Someday, when she saved enough money and jewelry from her customers, she would buy her body back. Then she would reunite with her mother and sister once more. . ._

She woke up weeping. Quickly, she wiped the tear from her eyes and looked out the window. The sun had yet to rise from the east. The city and the man lying next to her were still slumbering. Lord Naraku, that was his name. He was the one that bought her virginity when she first learned her craft. He was also the one who bought her body the previous night. From previous experiences, she knew Lord Naraku would be waking up soon. As that thought fluttered across her mind, the man next to her showed the first sings of wakening. 

He carressed her body languidly before rising from the bed to put on his kimono. But before he walked out the door like numerous times before, he turned back to the woman and promised, "Oh my little whore. You are worth all the money I've put into that gold digger's pocket. In fact, I think I may want to keep you. _My_ Lady Kikyo." 

----- 

Author's Note: I have to a big "THANK YOU" to my friend Angela who beta for me. With out her periodic nodding, I would never get my ideas out. 


	2. As Delicate as a Sakura Blossom

Chapter 1: As Delicate as a Sakura Blossom   


Lord Sesshomaru had been the lord of the house and the ancestral domain in name since six years ago when his father departed to fight in the war. When his father, the late lord died three years ago in the war, Sesshomaru became the lord in reality. His life had an established routine and order. He would get up in the morning, get dressed, eat breakfast, oversee his business ventures and then go to the palace for the afternoon court. There in court, he advised the emperor on issues ranging from the war, to royal concubines. Once in a while, he would even indulge in his guilty pleasure of pissing Lord Naraku off. 

His home, his domain, his life was about to be invaded. His well-organized life got a rock thrown in the routine. 

His hot tempered, loud mouthed, tactless, and idealistic little half brother, Inu-Yasha, was coming home from the war. He was coming home today, to be exact. Lord Sesshomaru was very annoyed by that. For the past three years, Inu-Yasha had been coordinating the army against the invaders. When their father died in battle, Inu-Yasha had become the head general of the army in the entire country. Now that the war ended, he had become a national hero. Knowing the emperor, the emperor now must have Inu-Yasha come to court and advise in all matters concerning the country.__

_ 'How annoying,'_ Sesshomaru thought. 

The loud bang of the front door informed Sesshomaru of his little brother's arrival. He heaved a large, annoyed sigh before rising from his seat by the window in the library. 

"Oie, where the hell is Sesshomaru hiding?" Sesshomaru heard Inu-Yasha's disembodied voice. Sesshomaru bristled at the comment but cooled his annoyance. _'Little brothers never grow up.' _ Finally, when he could no longer delay the unwanted reunion, he opened the door separating him from his half brother. 

"Welcome home, dear brother." Sesshomaru bit out. 

The man that greeted Sesshomaru was not the same child that left the estate to fight in the war. Gone was the round faced boy with wide curious golden eyes. He was replaced with a series looking tall young man with long silver hair down his back. His once trusting eyes had became hard from the experience of war. Inu-Yasha had grown taller during the years that he was gone, now he was tall as Sesshomaru. His shoulders became broader and his over all bearing had become aggressive. The resemblance between the two brothers became much more pronounced during the years apart. 

_'Looks like baby brother has grown up.'_ Sesshomaru smirked. _'I guess I could be hospitable and present him with a enjoyable welcome. Good thing Jaken already had his orders.'_

Aloud, he said to Inu-Yasha, "Come brother, don't stand there like a servant. I have sent Jaken to make arrangements for a proper welcoming for you." 

Upon hearing the name of the family servant, Inu-Yasha grimaced and spoke the first direct words to Sesshomaru since coming home, "That toad is still alive and working here?" 

That comment caused an involuntary bark of laughter to escape Sesshomaru's mouth. _'Perhaps, he won't be as annoying as I thought.'_

Eventually, a servant arrived with the tea. Sesshomaru tried to engage Inu-Yasha in small talk. But it turned out to be more of Sesshomaru speaking with an occasional grunt from Inu-Yasha. Finally, after what seemed like forever, a knock was heard. Jaken entered the room. He bowed to Sesshomaru and informed him all the preparations had been made. 

"Little brother, you better go change out of your dirty traveling clothes. You wouldn't want to look shabby for your own celebration." Sesshomaru smirked when he saw Inu-Yasha grimace at the prospect of a party. Sesshomaru thought to himself _'I think I might enjoy having you around, little brother. You are good, if nothing else, for a few laughs.'_

*** 

Later that night, Sesshomaru and Inu-Yasha rode down the streets of the capital along with a small procession of retainers. Sesshomaru rode at the head of the procession while Inu-Yasha followed a few paces behind. Just as Inu-Yasha became increasingly annoyed at the amount of people, his brother stopped and dismounted from his horse. Inu-Yasha followed suite. 

Inu-Yasha looked up at a sign that caught his eye._ 'Ichiban no Sakura,' _thought Inu-Yasha, _'what kind of place would attract the _great_ Lord Sesshomaru to come here?'_

During the celebration in his honor, Inu-Yasha became put out by the constant mention of _Lord_ Sesshomaru. _Lord_ Sesshomaru had commanded the most exclusive room with the most exclusive girls. _Lord_ Sesshomaru had ordered only the best food be served. _Lord_ Sesshomaru had invited the most elite of guests. _Lord_ Sesshomaru . . . Even the serving wenches he hired could not stop talking about him. Apparently, _Lord_ Sesshomaru came to this place often, if the giggle of the girls were any clue. 

Bored with the decadence of the place, Inu-Yasha gazed around the room without any real interest. With nothing to occupy his attention, memories and nightmares of the war slowly crept into his mind. In his mind's eye, he saw again _the anguish of his soldiers lying in cooling pools of their own blood. Shouts of war and moans of agony could be heard in all directions, even over the beating of the drums. Hundreds of enemy men fell under the stroke of his blade, yet more rose to fill their place. The harder he fought, the more of the enemy would rush at him. Until, finally, they overwhelmed him by sheer force. As he lay buried beneath their dirty, bleeding bodies and gaping wounds, they began to scream in unison for him to return their lives . . ._

"More alcohol, my lord?" A cool emotionless voice broke through his blood filled vision of horror. Inu-Yasha glanced up from his waking nightmare to meet the serene, gray eyes of a serving girl. Grateful for the distraction, Inu-Yasha nodded his head in consent. Watching her perform such a mundane and simple action helped to calm his nerves and pull himself from the past. He glanced at the girl while he drank. She caught his gaze and gave him a tiny smile to encourage him. 

Many men before had taken that smile as an indication to boast of their accomplishment or their devotion to the emperor. But Inu-Yasha, unlike most men, did not speak of his _glory_ days in the army or the greatness of his house or his great devotion to the emperor. In reality, he did not even notice the hidden meaning of the glance before he cut off all eye contact with out a second glance. 

"How do you like Lady Kikyo, dear brother?" Sesshomaru purred next to him. "It's not every day she serves at functions. In fact, she would only serve her _favorite_ at occasions like these." Sesshomaru said the word favorite like it should hold a significant meaning. Without noticing the annoyed scowl from Inu-Yasha, Sesshomaru went on with his praises all the while smiling at the serving girl. "Lady Kikyo and the other serving girls at the Ichiban are not like those street whores that followed the army. The women here are as delicate as sakura blossoms. " 

Inu-Yasha ignored him while the girl, Lady Kikyo, again smiled her ready smile that almost sent his blood stiring. Then it dawned on him, _'Lady Kikyo was a whore and Ichiban no Sakura was a whorehouse!'_

Angry at his brother's stupidity, Inu-Yasha downed the rest of his drink in one gulp. Obviously, Sesshomaru wanted him to pick a girl from the celebration to fuck with. Obviously, Sesshomaru thought Inu-Yasha was a disturbance to his peace, his every gesture emphasized it. And just as obviously, Sesshomaru thought Lady Kikyo was the best solution to his problem -- for that night. 

Obviously, Sesshomaru was a gigantic moron. 

As much as Inu-Yasha wanted to just toss his cup into his brother's smiling face and beat the living day lights out of him, the thought of dishonoring his father's name with such a public display of familial discord caused him to stay his hand. Instead, he just growled at Sesshomaru and drank the cup of alcohol Lady Kikyo refilled. By the time he drained the last drop, he had made the decision to keep Lady Kikyo for the night. As boring as that girl might be, anything was worth it to get away from bother dearest. Rising from his seat, he nodded to the girl and left the party. 

Her quite words muttered between soft breaths directed Inu-Yasha in the direction of the correct room. While walking toward the room, Inu-Yasha's sharp hearing could pick up sounds of pleasure faintly behind the walls once in a while. No words were passed between the two as they traveled to their lodging for the night. The room was aglow in a ring of candlelight. The European four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room like an alter waiting for the offerings to a god of pleasure. 

Inu-Yasha felt nothing but irritation as he tried to undress for bed. When the girl suddenly caressed his cheek, he stopped his attempt to untie his sash to look her quizzically in the face. She held his gaze and stepped lightly into his personal zone of comfort. He briefly contemplated pushing her away but realized the formal kimono would have been much easier to take off with another person helping. Nodding his head in permission, he let Lady Kikyo help him undress. The rustles of clothing were the only sound in an otherwise quite room. 

Lady Kikyo took his elaborate kimono and folded it neatly before putting it away in the corner of the room. She then undressed, to Inu-Yasha, in a too slow of fashion. When she was about to disrobe from the final piece of garment covering her flesh, Inu-Yasha stopped her with a wave of his hand. 

Lady Kikyo then stepped behind Inu-Yasha and trailed her hand upward on his spine to rest them on his shoulders. She moved her hands to massage his shoulders but quicker than her eye can follow, his hands stopped hers in mid-motion. "I hope you are not under the misconception that anything other than sleep will occur in this room." Inu-Yasha informed her coolly. The widening of her eyes indicated that was exactly what she had expected. "The only reason I am at this damn place is because of my brother. The only reason _you_ are here is so I could get away from my brother. Now we can share the bed, like partners not lovers, or you can sleep alone on the bed and I'll sleep on the floor." 

Stunned silence filled the room as Lady Kikyo contemplated his proposal. In the end, she inclined her head in agreement and indicated to Inu-Yasha to join her on the bed. Inu-Yasha, who had been under the impression Lady Kikyo would be spiteful enough to actually make him sleep on the floor, grunted to mask his surprise. The silence in the room became uncomfortable to Inu-Yasha because it had been a long time since he heard silence at night. But Lady Kikyo displayed no signs of discomfort as she raised the quilt to climb into bed with a strange man. Encouraged and oddly comforted by her quiet movements, his discomfort dissolved to acceptance. In the quiet acceptance, Inu-Yasha's rough hand was gently embraced by Lady Kikyo's own delicate hand. That acceptance turned into relaxation as Inu-Yasha finally fell asleep holding Lady Kikyo's hand.   


Author's Note: 

I just want to say 'thank you' to Rachel for her review and beta efforts. The wonderful new version of Chapter 1 could be attributed to her. I also want to say 'thank you' to Stormie for your wonderful review. There's so much I want to respond to according to the reviews, but that'll just ruin the surprise. Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing. Please email me if there's anymore typos or grammar mistakes. Constructive criticisms are always welcome. 

-Love, Diana   



	3. Foreboding

Kotori no Tama 

Chapter 2: Foreboding 

Inu-Yasha, Lord Protector, the head general of the Imperial Army, elite counselor of the Imperial Court, and a few honorary titles that he did not care to remember, was bored. Because of his newfound status as a great war hero, the emperor simply could not make a decision without him. His life had been filled with miniscule questions he had neither answers nor care for. 

He did not know what kind of crop would be best grown where. He did not know how much tax money was necessary to run the country. He did not know which of the women were the most beautiful. To him they all looked similar, except for Lady Kikyo. However, she was too common a whore to be chosen for the emperor. 

He felt like an overgrown errand boy standing there at court. Though none of his errands actually required legwork, the feeling was, nonetheless, the same. 

One thing Inu-Yasha did enjoy was annoying Lord Naraku. As much as it repulsed him to share an interest with Sesshomaru, that particular guilty pleasure was too good to pass up. Lord Naraku had a deceitful and stuck up streak that just begged the brothers for torment. His toothy smile and beady eyes gave Inu-Yasha the impression of a rat -- waiting for the chance to gnaw at his master's bones. 

Together with Sesshomaru, Naraku and Inu-Yasha made up the three most powerful men in the country underneath the emperor. Their families were the two most influential families in the country. Each family had served the imperial line since the founding days, over three hundred years ago, and it seemed to Inu-Yasha that they would be serving the emperor for the next three hundred years. _'That is providing the boredom at court doesn't drive everyone to suicide,'_ Inu-Yasha thought with a snicker. 

As the hum of court droned on, Inu-Yasha started to wonder about the party that was to be held later that night in celebration of some official or another. Not that he really wanted to go, but the party did have two things going for it. One, he would have a legitimate reason to not talk to Sesshomaru thus keeping him away from his brother's infuriating remarks. Two, the party would be held at Ichiban no Sakura, where Lady Kikyo worked. 

Since his welcome home party three months ago, he had been back to the Ichiban no Sakura almost a dozen more times. Either by fate or by luck, he always ended up staying with Lady Kikyo. She always seemed near at hand when the time came to retire for the night. She never complained about the lack of sex during those nights or the lack of gifts the morning after. (He knew it was customary to gift the women at high-class brothels like Ichiban no Sakura for their services the morning after.) She did not even seem to mind his nightmares. They kept most of his brother's household up for a month, or so he had been told. The few times he completely woke up from his nightmares, he felt her large gray eyes watching him in the candlelight. 

The thought of her watching over his sleep comforted Inu-Yasha during those nights. 

As the last petitioner crawled out of the divine presence of the emperor, he rose from his dais and signaled the end of court for that day. Both Inu-Yasha and Sesshomaru rose from their kneeling position and stretched out the kinks in their legs. The Rat, as Inu-Yasha had privately dubbed Naraku, turned toward the brothers and asked, "Will the esteemed Lordships Sesshomaru and Inu-Yasha be gracing the birthday celebration of Lord Suho?" 

"Of course, Lord Suho will be blessed with my brother and my presence." Sesshomaru proclaimed. "Unfortunately, I could not say whether or not he will be blessed with yours, Lord Naraku." 

Taking that as a question for his own attendance at the party, Naraku hastily made a reply. "Do not worry about me, Lord Sesshomaru, I shall also be at the party to celebrate the birthday of Lord Suho." 

"Too bad then Lord Naraku," Sesshomaru replied without missing a beat, "Lord Suho is now fated to be cursed this year." 

Inu-Yasha, who could not contain himself any longer, snickered at the outraged expression on The Rat's face. He then turned to Sesshomaru and said, "good one, older brother." Sesshomaru, not one prone to give public displays of approval, gave his brother a rare grin of delight. 

The next moment the grin turned into a sneer as Sesshomaru teased Inu-Yasha. "You better get home and groom for your lady love. One wouldn't want to keep a lady waiting." Inu-Yasha bristled at that comment, but Sesshomaru took no notice of him and continued with his comments. 

"But little brother, you should be careful of your affections. Women like Lady Kikyo are there for the pleasure of looking and touching, not feeling." With that, he swept away leaving a fuming Inu-Yasha standing alone in the room. When Inu-Yasha recovered from shock of that slanderous remark, he shouted at the retreating man. "She's nothing but a bed partner!" 

In the end, Inu-Yasha did take Sesshomaru's advice and put on a fresh kimono, carefully combing his hair before he headed off to the celebration. On the way there, he purchased a jade bracelet from one of the market vendors to give the Lord Suho as a birthday gift. 

This party reminded Inu-Yasha of his welcoming party. The partygoers were loud, obnoxious people that drank themselves to the point of unconsciousness and had to be carried out. His mind drifted from the decadent scene to his brother's words from earlier. He had not done anything that would suggest to Sesshomaru that he felt anything for the girl. In fact, the past times he was there, he barely noticed her presence until the end of the night. That thought caused him to scan the room to see if Lady Kikyo was also serving at this party. 

Inu-Yasha spotted her a moment later sitting across the room, next to The Rat. He seemed awfully attached to her, always holding on to her hand and petting her hair. Inu-Yasha snickered at The Rat's possessive behavior. 'That guy has no dignity,' Inu-Yasha thought contemptuously. Lady Kikyo did not seem to mind: she did not giggle and bat his hands away as the other women in the hall did when they did not care for the attention. 

Inu-Yasha watched her, as she finally rose from her seat next to The Rat and poured drinks for other men in the room. She knelt down next to his brother to fill Sesshomaru's cup. Inu-Yasha watched with narrow eye and increasing anger as she smiled at his brother's remarks and attention. 

Finally, she knelt down next to him to pour him a drink. His hand caught her delicate wrist before she could pour his drink. For the first time in all these month, Inu-Yasha looked at her in the face. Her face was nothing but a mask behind her make up. Her body seemed too thin, if her wrist was any indication. Her eyes were too big and dull. The gray eyes seemed like glassy mirrors, almost like a dead man staring out twin windows. 

With a grunt, Inu-Yasha released her wrist from his grip and stood up from his seat. He nodded his head, as he always did on previous occasions, but this time, before Lady Kikyo could follow him out of the room, a form blocked the way. It was The Rat! Infuriated, Inu-Yasha barked out a demand for The Rat to explain his actions. 

With a beguiling smile, Naraku purred to Inu-Yasha "Lord Inu-Yasha, I'm sorry to be blocking your passage. But I was on my way to ask if Lady Kikyo would do me the honor of entertaining me for the night." 

"Not in your life... Lord Naraku." Inu-Yasha growled, "Lady Kikyo is mine! Rodents shouldn't be allowed near people." 

The Rat's pale cheeks began to take on a translucent quality. His eyes became slits as he glared daggers at Inu-Yasha that promised death and pain. 

"Lord Inu-Yasha," Naraku leered, "I have known Lady Kikyo since her first night as a whore. She knows what I like. I don't feel up to training another whore tonight." 

Angered to the brink of violence, Inu-Yasha declared to Naraku and the rest of the party guests that "Lady Kikyo is mine! I saw her first tonight. Besides," he bit out harshly, "if you can't get it up, you shouldn't be allowed near her." 

Lord Naraku nearly choked on his shock as he stared wide-eyed at Inu-Yasha. Lady Kikyo's gaze was directed at the floor during the entire argument between the two men, a blush of embarrassment staining her cheeks. 

When Inu-Yasha realized many of the guests were looking at the exchange, he gave them all a fierce growl and dragged Lady Kikyo behind him from the room without a second glance. Sesshomaru could not help but frown and shake his head wearily at his brother's display. He also vowed to keep an eye out for Lord Naraku. After all, Naraku was not a lord known for his forgiving nature. 

*** 

As Inu-Yasha and Lady Kikyo changed for sleep, Inu-Yasha suddenly blurted out, "Did you want to go with the… Lord Naraku?" 

Surprised at the question, Lady Kikyo looked up from her side of the room toward Inu-Yasha. After scrutinizing Inu-Yasha for a long moment, she lowered her eyes once again to the floor and mutely answered, "It matters not to me." There was nothing else left to be said as both of them lay down on opposite sides of the bed and drifted off to sleep. 

*** 

Author's Note: I just want to say thank you, again to Rachel, Stormie, and Angela. You guys are absolutely the best! Reading your reviews and the reviews of other readers just makes me want to write better stories. 

One other tid-bit of info for the future chapters. I have lost my disk where I saved this story. Fortunately, my friend Angela has at least one hard copy of every chapter. Unfortunately, she could only find a copy of chapter 2 and chapter 4 for now. Therefore, chapter 3 may take a bit of time to come out. Sorry.   
  



	4. Tit for Tat

Chapter 3 Tit for Tat

The sounds of chaos could be heard throughout the estate. Inside Lord Naraku's suite, expensive pottery became piles of rubble and more and more statues began to lose their limbs. When the screaming rage finally subsided, the servant slowly crept out of his hiding place to stand behind his master and await his attention. After long moments of silence, Naraku finally felt his quiet presence. He waved the servant forward to give him instructions.

"I want you to find me the owner of Ichiban no Sakura, Nanano Han. Inform him, I want a... What is it?" Naraku asked, giving the servant an annoyed scowl at his motion of interruption.

"Forgive me master. But the owner of Ichiban no Sakura is awaiting your presence." That announcement caused the black eyebrows on Naraku's head to shoot up to his hairline. As the servant went to fetch the surprising visitor, he wondered why Nanano Han would seek to visit him. _What could he want with me? Is it about the girl last night? It was only a small scratch. Ah, here he comes. I thought he would be a bit taller.'_

"Welcome. To what do I owe this pleasure, Nanano-san?"

Han, after a brief bow, began to state his case. "Lord Naraku, as you know, you have used the services provided by the Ichiban no Sakura on frequent occasions. Last night was such an occasion. You required the services of Lady Kimiko. Though Ichiban no Sakura has a policy of any imaginable pleasure,' we also require that the customers not damage the goods." He then made another bow.

Naraku, obviously displeased at Han's mentioning of the previous evening, dismissed his claim offhandedly. "If this is about the minor damage to Lady Kimiko's face, then I have already compensated for it. The gold I left this morning should afford her many luxuries in the coming month."

"What you failed to realize, Lord Naraku, was that Lady Kimiko would never be able to work at the Ichiban no Sakura again. Her face is too scarred to do anything but scare little children from now on. No man would want her now! I want compensation for her. She may not be one of the most popular girls there, like your Lady Kikyo, but I still paid a pretty penny for her. I want compensations for your handling of her Lord Naraku."

Naraku, angry at the owner's impertinence, whispered, "Are you trying to threaten me, brothel owner? You seemed to have forgotten your place. Though the law does dictate that I compensate you for the damages I caused, what proof is there that _you_ did not beat her after I left? One whisper from me to the emperor would shut your little place down forever. Or perhaps an accident suffered to the owner would better solve this problem. What do you think Nanano-san? It would be a pity for others to be denied the sweetness of your flowers should your establishment close or... accidentally burn down." Naraku almost purred at the last few words.

Han, frightened by the open threat in Naraku's words, could do nothing but cower. Unconcerned by the owner's blatant display of fear, Naraku went on with his negotiation. "Of course, I'm not an unreasonable man, Nanano-san. Lady Kimiko will be taken care of. But to pay off your debt to me, I request Lady Kikyo."

"What debt do I owe you, Lord Naraku?" Han timidly asked.

"The debt of the great dishonor you have done accusing me of damaging one of your girls. I will leave you to think this over, Nanano-san. You have until the full moon in five days. I'll send a messenger for your answer then." Naraku then dismissed the speechless owner of the brothel.

***

During Naraku's negotiation, a fight was breaking out between two brothers at another estate. Sesshomaru could not believe the stupidity of his little brother. He had seen the open display of hostility between Naraku and Inu-Yasha the night before and could barely believe his eyes. Normally, he would congratulate Inu-Yasha on his success annoying Naraku but this time the fight between them was over a _woman_. An emotion overcoming common sense was not something Sesshomaru could tolerate. _He must be getting it from his mother. My mother never raised me to be an idiot.'_

Inu-Yasha was becoming increasingly angry at his brother's accusations. Sesshomaru didn't understand anything. He was _not_ in love with that girl. It had become his habit to sleep with Lady Kikyo every time he visited Ichiban no Sakura and the girl obviously didn't want to sleep with Naraku. He couldn't just let her go with someone she didn't want to be with. The fact that she had remained silent proved her dislike for the man. _The Rat had no right to try to break our tradition and try to force himself on the girl! Besides,'_ Inu-Yasha thought furiously, _didn't Sesshomaru say he was proud of me for annoying the hell out of Naraku?'_

"Brother, dear. I am not saying you should stop provoking Naraku. In fact, I congratulate you on a job well done. But fighting with him over a woman is not the way to go about it. You said you weren't in love with her." Sesshomaru almost growled the last words showing that any emotion, besides contempt, would definitely bring on his displeasure.

"You bastard! You left before I could even say anything yesterday. Besides she didn't want to sleep with The Rat!" Inu-Yasha retorted back at his brother.

"If my hearing served me right, I'm sure you shouted your sentiments loud enough to be heard throughout palace." Sesshomaru almost sighed at his brother's lack of coherent thought. "Inu-Yasha, here is the truth about women like your _Lady_ Kikyo: They cannot say no, they won't say noas long as the price is right. They are conniving and self-centered with greed in their eyes and ice in their hearts. They can raise you to the heights of pleasure but will tear you to pieces given the chance. _That_, my _dear_ little half-brother, is what women like Lady Kikyo are really like."

Inu-Yasha, angry and confused about everything, bit out "I don't need you to mess with my life!" He stormed out of the house, randomly picking a direction, and left without a backward glance. _He doesn't know what the relationship between Lady Kikyo and I is really like. I'm not in love with her or infatuated with her or any kind of shit with her. She's just a sleeping companion. It's comfortable to sleep next to her! Why the hell should I give her up?'_

The sound of girls giggling interrupted Inu-Yasha's train of thought. It was a group of women on a shopping trip. Their seeming lack of concern or care drew Inu-Yasha's attention away from his furious thoughts. The hustle and bustle of the market place had not disturbed the women for their bodyguards stood in front and behind them to protect them from the crowd.

Most of the girls seemed excited to be at the market place, picking up the fabric and fans the venders had to offer, but a few seemed resigned to be there, as if they did not care one way or another. One of the girls in the latter group caught Inu-Yasha's eye.

Even among the disaffected girls, Lady Kikyo seemed separated and alone. Her hair was tied up with an indigo ribbon and her gray eyes coolly glanced at the wares but never looked back. Suddenly, something caught her attention and her eyes became alive with merriment. Two little girls with their mother walked pass the group. Lady Kikyo's eyes followed their movement as they walked down the street. Her open expression allowed the ghost of a nostalgic smile to grace her lips. 

***

Her smile had made her seem real, human. Her eyes had seemed happy for the first time in his memory. Inu-Yasha could not get the image of Lady Kikyo's smile out of his mind as he walked into the doors of Ichiban no Sakura later that night. There was no prior celebration scheduled at the house for that night. He absentmindedly paid the odious owner for private dining accommodations with Lady Kikyo.

Instead of the usual room with a bed, this time, Lady Kikyo showed him to a suite. Serving girls set down a buffet at one corner of the room. Lady Kikyo bid Inu-Yasha to sit next to the table while she went to the buffet to select the dishes and set their places. They ate in silence the same as they did every time, but this time Inu-Yasha could not keep his eyes off of her as she performed her duties.

An overwhelming compulsion to see her smile again forced him to look at her face. Her gaze slid over him without any outward display of emotion. She served him sake like she had so many times before. Then she knelt down next to him, as she always did during the banquets. Everything was the same. Nothing had changed.

With an annoyed growl, Inu-Yasha seized her wrist in his hand and forced her to turn her body toward him. "Smile, why don't you smile?" He asked desperately. Lady Kikyo lifted her head up from her stare at the floor to give him a smile that had made men turn to jelly and filled them with lust. This was not the smile Inu-Yasha wanted. He wanted her to smile as he had seen her smile that afternoon. Frustrated beyond words, Inu-Yasha seized her other wrist and pulled her into a kiss.

Lady Kikyo, unprepared for this action, almost fought back against the hold and the kiss. But years of practice allowed her to melt into the kiss and to embrace him with passion. She expertly guided their bodies away from the table and toward the bedroom. Inu-Yasha had half a mind to stop her but a flick of her tongue stopped his protests.

Clothing was soon discarded across the floor as their bodies tumbled into the bed. There was no other source of illumination other than the candles placed around the room. Their shadow writhed with their lovemaking and flickered with the lights. Each stroke and caress brought Inu-Yasha closer to his climax. When his release finally came, he sprawled across Lady Kikyo's body.

"Kikyo," Inu-Yasha said reverently while he smoothed back her hair.

"_Lady _Kikyo." Lady Kikyo corrected softly.

Confused, Inu-Yasha raised his head above the pillow to look at his lover's face. "But isn't your name Kikyo? That's why you are called Lady Kikyo." Inu-Yasha was afraid he had said something to offend her when she didn't answer.

Finally, she said wistfully "Kikyo is not my name." That sparked Inu-Yasha's curiosity. He wondered what kind of name she had originally possessed. Several possibilities crossed his mind but none seemed to fit her. Finally fed up with his thoughts chasing each other, he asked her out-right for her real name.

Her answer surprised him. "The person I was before is dead. Lady Kikyo is now my name and who I am. She is me and I am her." With that, she turned her back to him and tried to drift off to sleep. A part of her warned her she was turning her back on a client. Words from her training ran through her mind, "Never turn your back to a client. Let them touch you. Only they can turn away from you." And up until now, she had never before broken from them—the secret to her success. 

  
----------   


Author's Note: 

Hi everyone, thank you so much for reading this chapter! The trouble I had with the chapter is unbelieveable! First, I wasn't satified with the writting. Then I lost my disk! The only person in the entire world who had a copy was my friend Angela. She only had a hard copy and was beta reading the chapter for me. But finally, I'm done retyping the chapter. Thanks again to Angela and Rachel and all you great people who left reviews. 

I hope this chapter answered some of your questions. I'm sure all of you by now know or at least suspect who 'Lady Kikyo' is. But alas, poor Lord Inu-Yasha is still in the dark. Keep on reading! The end is in sight. ^_^ 

If you guys have any questions about this chapter just drop a line in my email and I'll try my best to explain. 

-love, Diana 


	5. The Long Three Days

Chapter 4 - The Long Three Days 

"I love you." That was what the young lord said before he left that morning. The golden rays of the rising sun formed a halo around Inu-Yasha that lent him a mystical aura. A person had to be especially cynical or dim to not believe his words. Her heart fluttered oddly at the declaration as she sighed at the naïveté of Lord Inu-Yasha. Lady Kikyo could almost believe that his words were earnest and true. 

However, Lady Kikyo had heard that phrase uttered to her many times before, both by drunken merchants and by inexperienced youth. They never meant it nor did they remember when the act was over. _Though,_ she mused_, Lord Inu-Yasha is older me, he still seems incredibly naïve about many things._ Never before had a man utter those words to her with so much sincerity and honesty. 

Unlike her normal clients who feigned sophistication, Lord Inu-Yasha did not bother with the cover of society. At times, he was temperamental and cloddish, both worldly yet naïve. He let his emotions rule his judgment and he was quick to judge, but he never had regrets. And no matter how rough he was, he was never rough with her. 

Even though he was passionate in speech and behavior while awake, when sleeping Lady Kikyo often heard him whimper because of the nightmares. Before this monumental change in their relationship, Lady Kikyo would often hold Inu-Yasha's hand to keep the nightmares at bay. After they became… intimate, Lady Kikyo would often find herself being tightly embraced during those episodes. 

Lady Kikyo often wondered about his time during the war. Whether or not Lord Inu-Yasha met her father, fought beside him, and then watched him die. Or were the lives of common soldiers too lowly to be remembered. She wanted to ask. Many times she almost did, but the fear of what his answers would be always topped her inquiries. 

Often she wished to be bolder, like him. However, his passionate behavior and proclamations both puzzled and frightened her. Her own strange responses to those gestures and words often occupied her mind. Why _did_ her heart flutter when he would look her in the eyes and smile? If she should feel for a client, Lady Kikyo reasoned, then it would make sense for Lord Naraku be the one she… admired, as she had known him much longer. Lord Inu-Yasha was scarcely better than a stranger. 

Lady Kikyo shook her head at the distracting thoughts because now was not one of the moments she could have to herself. Nanano-san had ordered a meeting this morning to discuss her future at the establishment. He said there was "important news." Lady Kikyo gave an unladylike snort at his comment. His important news often involved a private party with high-class officials who drank too much, tipped too little and with hands that wonders faster than mice. 

She glided down the steps from the suite toward Nanano's office, knocked lightly on the panel before she slid it aside to enter the room, and knelt before the table. Nanano, nervous looking even on his best days, looked like the world was coming to an end and the devil himself had come to collect his soul. 

"Lady Kikyo, I have some very important news for you." Nanano paused to wait for her reaction and to assemble his fleeting courage. When neither seemed to be forthcoming, he quickly continued with his anxious speech. "As you know, Lord Naraku is a very powerful man… Also, as you know, Lord Naraku seemed, uh, especially taken with you." There he paused again as if to gather his thoughts and marshal the last of his courage. "Therefore, I sold your contract to Lord Naraku. In three days, you will belong to him. I... I know he will treat you well." 

Nanano Han almost flew out of the room after that announcement with his hands sweaty from tension. 

Lady Kikyo still knelt at the table unmoving minutes later when another serving girl came to check up on her. She suddenly rose before the girl could reach out to touch her unmoving body. Without help or word, Lady Kikyo glided out of the room. 

That night, Inu-Yasha again came to the Ichiban no Sakura. His dress indicated he came straight from the palace and he seemed to be in a foul mood. Lady Kikyo tried to lighten his mood by first reading to him, then massaging his back, but neither seemed to help in relieving his stress. Her own lack of interest in those activities hastened her decision to look for another form of entertainment. 

Curiosity and need to cover the awkward silence won over her habitual reserve; Lady Kikyo gently asked Inu-Yasha about what was troubling him. 

Reluctant to talk about his troubles with Lady Kikyo, Inu-Yasha just mumbled an incoherent sentence about "trouble." He then turned his thoughts from the unbelievable turn of events at court to the object of his infatuation sitting next to him. Lady Kikyo wore a white kimono with silver threads making patters of waves on the hem. Inu-Yasha saw she hung the large pearl like jewel on her sash that night. For as long as he had been acquainted with Lady Kikyo, the jewel was always placed somewhere on her body. Even asleep, she wore the jewel around her neck. 

"Why do you wear that pearl?" He asked. He did not expect an answer from her. Her mysteriousness was one of the things that fascinated Inu-Yasha. Her surprised expression was enough of a reaction to please him. 

Instead of answering the question, she smiled coyly at him and carefully untied the sash and dripped it on to the floor. She dropped the pearl as if it was of no importance but Inu-Yasha saw the hesitation. She proceeded to slowly peel away the layers of her kimono until she stood nude in front of a wide-eyed Inu-Yasha. As an encore to her striptease, she knelt and crawled on top of Inu-Yasha to kiss him deeply on the mouth. Any other question Inu-Yasha might have had fled as soon as a creamy white shoulder emerged from under her obi. 

If her lovemaking efforts that night seemed frantic and desperate, Inu-Yasha did not notice. For the first time, their rolls reversed. Instead of Inu-Yasha clinging desperately to her, Lady Kikyo clung to him all through the night. 

Inu-Yasha's mood greatly improved before court the next day, but the private conference with the emperor from the past day still rang in his mind and plagued his thoughts. 

"Lord Protector Inu-Yasha," the emperor began as soon as Inu-Yasha knelt, "there are many things troubling about this report you sent me. The border raid in the north still persists even after the treaty of peace. Though they seemed like bandits, it is too coincidental that the bandits only steal government files or make just enough nuisances of themselves for the guards to be sent. " 

"Lord Inu-Yasha, I want you to investigate this, not the border raid as they are even now being stopped, but the possibility of a spy. I have long suspected that someone from within _my_ court is feeding the enemy information. Those attacks and the stolen documents are insignificant in and of themselves, but together, they may prove dangerous." 

"You cannot trust anyone with this information. Even your brother, Lord Sesshomaru, cannot be notified of this. I trust you will serve me to the best of your ability, Lord Inu-Yasha. You have full authority to do whatever is necessary to end the search, but do it well and quickly. I want this to end!" His words ended in a tone of steel indicating the Emperor's anger and frustration at the matter. When the audience ended, Inu-Yasha rose from his kneeling position and backed out of the chamber troubled with the news. 

Eliminating the flow of information between the capital and the enemy was the first objective Inu-Yasha set out to accomplish that day. He had extra guards posted along the city walls and anyone who tried to enter or leave the city was required to state their give name, reason for their excursion, and a place of residence. He also heightened the security around the palace, doubling the guards to eliminate the possibility of a break-in. 

With the border secure and the city protected, Inu-Yasha began in earnest the task of looking for the traitor. 

That night, after eating dinner with his brother, Inu-Yasha once again contemplated the problem of a traitor at court. He tried to imagine Sesshomaru as the traitor but the image could not be summoned. Sesshomaru may have been many things but a traitor was not one of them. Besides, the thought of the toad like Jaken as an in between was too unbelievable. Jaken being hog-tied and kicked around like a ball was more believable than Jaken as a spy. 

The Rat on the other hand was the perfect low life traitor. He was rich enough to finance the equipments needed for espionage. The way he tried to take Lady Kikyo away from him demonstrated that he would be greedy enough to want the throne for himself. He was a pervert and a leech and… 

"Inu-Yasha," Sesshomaru began, "have you thought about your problem?" 

Startled out of his thought and over the fact that Sesshomaru knew about the investigation, Inu-Yasha asked suspiciously. Maybe he had misjudged Sesshomaru, "What do you know about this problem?" 

Amused by Inu-Yasha's obvious display of stupidity, Sesshomaru indulgingly said, "Well, since you are still unmarried and pinning away for that whore, I assume you haven't really taken my suggestion to heart. Just as well, there is no need to hurry. The emperor is still considering your marriage and Princess Aikiko. By the way, I expect you to be at mine in three days. Wear something nice." After tossing the written invitation on the table in front of a flabbergasted Inu-Yasha, Sesshomaru sauntered out of the room. 

Inu-Yasha's mind still had not processed Sesshomaru's word before he looked into the invitation. 'Yup, he is getting married,' Inu-Yasha thought dazedly. In his daze, he stumbled on the toad of a servant Jaken. 

"Jaken, why couldn't you be like a pervert and wear some women's clothing! At least then you'd be bright enough to be noticed. You blend in with the back ground already, I don't need to trip over you because you are too ugly to be seen." Inu-Yasha felt a bit more normal after his pounding on Jaken as he walked to meet Lady Kikyo. 

Lady Kikyo waited for him in her room instead of the suite. She massaged his shoulders while he sat in silence. Lady Kikyo asked again of his troubles. This time, Inu-Yasha answered with a stunned "he's getting married." 

"Who's getting married?" Lady Kikyo asked. 

"My asshole of a brother, the _great_ Lord Sesshomaru, is getting _married_ in three days. Oh my god!" The impact of that announcement had finally reached Inu-Yasha. 

Lady Kikyo smiled in amusement at his display of immaturity, but she said nothing as he sat and contemplated the implications. She knew his residence was no longer with his older half-brother, Lord Sesshomaru. Lord Inu-Yasha had moved into his own manor and out of his ancestral home. He was not dependent upon Sesshomaru in any way nor did there appear to be any love lost between the two brothers, but why should the marriage of Lord Sesshomaru affect Lord Inu-Yasha so much? 

"I'm going to get married!" Inu-Yasha exclaimed. 

"Then shouldn't you be courting the lady that would be your wife, my lord?" Lady Kikyo intoned emotionlessly while her heart skipped a beat. 

"No, no, I'm not getting married yet, but once that bastard Sesshomaru gets married, then he's going to be hell bent on me to get married. He's already thinking up ideas like Princess Aikiko. I don't need that bastard to mess in my life. I'll marry who _I_ choose." 

Lady Kikyo smiled readily at him and murmured words meant to comfort, but while she spoke those words, she could not help but think about the naïveté of youth and the privileged. She often wished that they could experience what worries plagued her so they would understand the triviality of the _catastrophe_ in their lives. 

_I would never have the luxury of marriage_. That thought echoed over and over in her mind as they made love that night. As Inu-Yasha bent down to kiss her lips, she closed her eyes to accept both the kiss and her fate. When the passion subsided and Inu-Yasha the verge of sleep, she turned her back toward him for the first time because she did not want him to see her tears. 

*** 

The investigation into Naraku's business dealings was going nowhere until his agents could get with reports. That, Inu-Yasha estimated, would take anywhere from five days to two weeks. He could not search Naraku's home without sufficient cause for fear of its repercussion. A rat Naraku may be, but he was still a powerful rat. Subsequently Inu-Yasha had to be patient while waiting for the investigation to go through. A few other noble families were also considered for the possibility of treason, but Inu-Yasha's instincts all point toward Naraku. 

Another problem in Inu-Yasha's life involved his "_overbearing, narcissistic, effeminate looking_" older half brother. Sesshomaru was getting married in two days and Inu-Yasha had no idea even who was the unfortunate bride. Of course, he'd have to find an appropriate gift for the 'ungrateful bastard' and his new lady. There would be children produced by the marriage of course. Inu-Yasha shuddered at the thought of a whole litter of miniature Sesshomarus looking down at him from Jaken's height. 

Thoughts of Sesshomaru's wedding brought to mind the uncomfortable thoughts of Inu-Yasha's own future. He did not want to get married, at least not to Princess Aikiko whom he had never met. Nor did he want to marry any other lord's daughter_._

_'If only Lady Kikyo was _really_ a lady or a freeborn woman, then we could get married,'_ Inu-Yasha thought wistfully. '_Why not?' _he thought furiously_, ' I don't need to marry well to uphold the family name, that's Sesshomaru's job, for once I pity him. The emperor won't refuse me. All I have to do is to buy Lady Kikyo away from the Ichiban no Sakura. That's easy enough to do. I know she'll be thrilled. After we get married, I'll give her all the pearls in the world.'_

Happy with his decision, Inu-Yasha took his mind back to court where a lower end official gave the tax collection report for the eastern lands. 

That night, Inu-Yasha nervously paced the inside of his room while thinking of a way to tell Lady Kikyo the news of their marriage plans. He had his servant Myoga pick out a vibrant blue silk kimono. As Myoga dressed him and presented Inu-Yasha with his sword, their difference in height caused Inu-Yasha suddenly to wake from his daydream and exclaim, "why are annoying servants so short?" 

Myoga, wisely, did not answer. 

*** 

Inu-Yasha was nervous through out the next day with the thoughts of Lady Kikyo's answer. Though the possibility of a rejection never crossed his mind, his nervousness could not be abated. What worried him the most about his impending marriage were the reactions of his peers and the Emperor. In the end, he decided to marry her first and handle the obstacles as they come. 

He held on precariously as he walked through the doors of the Ichiban no Sakura. He was surprised to find her already in the lobby of the house instead of waiting to be summoned. _'She knew I was coming.'_ Inu-Yasha thought giddily. Her look of astonishment barely registered on him before he reached her side. 

The vision of Lady Kikyo took his breath away. Her gray eyes and her black hair seemed to glisten. Her white kimono decorated with cherry blooms showed off her delicate skin. Inu-Yasha had to fight down the urge to carry her from the awful place and marry her right away. 

Inu-Yasha tenderly took hold of Lady Kikyo's trembling hand. His voice shook with emotion and excitement as he asked, "Will you marry me, Lady Kikyo?" 

A look of happiness and pain crossed Lady Kikyo's pretty features. Before she could fashion a reply to this wonderful question, a hand jerked them apart. Lady Kikyo's hand flew out of Inu-Yasha's grip as a triumphant Lord Naraku proclaimed to the flabbergasted crowd "Lady Kikyo is mine, Lord Inu-Yasha. She was mine and she will be mine forever. From this minute forth, she belongs to me. Don't _ever_ touch her again." 


	6. Fox Eyed Opening

A.N.: A big thanks to **lightning**. Her threat of bodily harm and death was very inspirational. This chapter is not as polished as the previous because I couldn't get the revised version from either of my beta readers, so pardon me for the mistakes. And enjoy.   
  


Chapter 5. Fox Eye Opening 

Inu-Yasha worked like a man at with demons on his heel as he furiously read the reports his men had given to him. It has been a month since the day Lady Kikyo was taken from the Ichiban no Sakura. Since that day, Inu-Yasha seemed like a man at war with himself. To him, the rest of the world no longer existed. Only his goal of finding the traitor kept him going. 

But nothing about the investigation seemed to going as planed. Many of the leads resulted in nothing but a dead end; the rest needed more time for the follow up. Only one report from his agent Miroku concerning the Rat's activities seemed promising. The report noted that Naraku have estates in the northern border and before the invasion, he often had dealings in that area. During the last five years, he often vacationed at that estate even though the fighting was so close by. 

Miroku was quite through in his compilation. Every activity from the name of the whores Naraku frequents to the thugs he keeps on the estate was included. But as thorough as the report had been, there were no outstanding evidence to suggest Naraku was the traitor or even in support of the traitor. His shady dealings were hinted aplenty, but there were only whispers for support. 

On the other hand, a minor official with just enough authority to have access to the necessary information seemed to be making visits up north every two month, "tenant problems" supposedly. Nothing too out of ordinary because the fighting had caused many families to abandon their farms in search of safety. Though it did not seem like his family was wealthy enough to support the espionage enterprise, there was always the possibility of hidden funds and partners in this scheme that Inu-Yasha's agents had not located. 

'Too bad there is nothing to tie Naraku to this guy besides the obvious,' Inu-Yasha thought in disappointment. Frustrated to the point of pulling out his long silver-white hair, he shouted out loud, "Arg! Why couldn't the fuck'n bastard just hang a sign that says 'I'm the traitor'! Making my life a living hell. Bastard mutant rat." 

Besides obstructions in the investigation, the gap between Sesshomaru and him seemed to amplify. The last time the two brothers spent any span of time together was at Sesshomaru's wedding. Their perspective fathers arranged the marriage and neither the bride nor the groom seemed to object. The weeding it self slipped by in a blur. Inu-Yasha recalled neither the wedding ceremony nor the party afterwards. He barely recalled meeting his sister-in-law, Lady… For the life of him, Inu-Yasha could not remember her name.   
  
Since then, Inu-Yasha had spent more and more time alone. He no longer ate dinner at the old manor, thinking that Sesshomaru would want to spend time with his wife. But all that was irrelevant to his current investigation. 

A muffled sound outside his door suddenly alerted him that he was no longer alone in this part of the manor. He had his manor built about a half-hour's ride from the center of the city for its peace and quiet. The possibility of the sound penetrating his office from the road outside the gate was next to impossible; only the fireworks from new years ever reach that part of the manor. In this case, a sound that was almost in audible, near his office, and during that time of the night instantly made Inu-Yasha suspicious. 

He quietly lifted his sword, the Tesusaiga, from the mantle on the wall and walked cautiously out of the room. The noise came from the direction of his bedroom. Though almost nothing of real importance was placed in his bedroom, some valuable not to mention sentimental items, like his mother's book of poetry, were left there. Using every once of stealth he could muster, Inu-Yasha slipped into the room hoping the intruder had not notice him. 

Fortunately, Inu-Yasha was a skilled stalker and the intruder was too busy concentrating on his task of searching through the drawers and shelves within the room to notice his entrance. When he finally noticed Inu-Yasha, it was too late for him to get away. With a swift swing with the back of the Tesusaiga to the base of the skull, Inu-Yasha knocked the man into a world of darkness. 

Not wanting to cause a big commotion within his own home by waking the servants, Inu-Yasha quickly and quietly relieved the man of his weapons, mask, and sandals. Afterwards, he diligently tied the intruder's hands and feet together in a secure knot. When there was nothing more to do, he began to wait for the thief's revival to the world of the conscious.   
  
Inu-Yasha examined his room during his short wait, taking stalk of what had been disturbed. The valuable items that thieves would go for first in the room seemed to have been moved left mostly untouched, slightly out of place but none missing. Instead, the papers and books looked like a typhoon blew through them. Letters and reports lay scattered all over the floor. Pages were ripped from books and crumpled into little balls and thrown all over the room.   
  
Though the search seemed to be at random, Inu-Yasha can't help but feel that the man was searching for something specific. Some instinct triggered by the search in his room forced him to check his office. Just as he reached the door to close it, he saw another dark form slipped noiselessly out of his office. With the agility of a cat, the second intruder vaulted over the balustrade surrounding the garden carrying a small sac in his hand. 

Enraged that his home was being invaded and not wanting to be out done by some petty thief, Inu-Yasha raced to catch him. They splashed through the empty water lily pond and raced through the dying trees while each man trying his hardest to catch the other unaware. Even with his incredible agility, the thief was no match for Inu-Yasha's speed brought on by rage. Before the thief could reach the outer wall of the estate, Inu-Yasha was on him. 

It was a silent game of tug-o-war between the two as each tried their best to hold on to the bundle of stolen goods. Inu-Yasha clearly had the upper hand in the strength department since the thief was chosen for their stealth not strength. 

Unexpectedly, the silence of their struggle was broken by the sound of the tearing fabric as the contents of the sac spilled on to the ground. Distracted by what the objects that fell from the pouch, Inu-Yasha gave the thief the precious moments to allow him to scoop up an item and made his escape. More surprised by the contents of the bag than upset at the thief's escape, Inu-Yasha absentmindedly picked them up and went back to his prisoner. By then, the captured thief had wakened from his unnatural slumber and was struggling with the bindings. 

"Don't bother trying to escape," Inu-Yasha coldly informed the prisoner as he studied the man. The man, no, the boy had a round face that was showing early signs of puberty, ordinary brown eyes, but a remarkable rust color hair and a slight frame that would be ideal for thieving. But despite his features, there was something about the man that tickled his memory. 

"Who sent you?" Inu-Yasha impatiently asked his prisoner. Silence greeted him as his angry golden eye bore into the insolent brown ones. "I will give you one more chance to answer me, who sent you?" 

"No one, we came on our own" was the defiant reply. 

"Now, let's not lie to the angry man with the sword." Inu-Yasha gave the boy a cold smile. "If you think you could fool me with your pathetic excuse for a lie, then you are wrong. Or, if you think you can goad me into killing you before getting my information, then you have another thing coming. Now answer the damn question, who sent you?" 

"You can't force me to do anything, you… depraved peasant. Your father may be a great lord but your mother was nothing but a low class peasant!" 

Angry that the boy would dare insult his mother's memory, Inu-Yasha struck out at him. "Don't you dare to taint the memory of my mother! And where the hell did you hear the word 'depraved' from? You say it like you just learned it." 

True, his wonderful mother came from a house much lower in station than his illustrious father. But she was no common peasant. Besides, only few people even knew of their differences in rank. The outrage of that marriage had long blown over and only a select few people knew the whole details concerning it. But the mere fact this intruder knew of it suggested in depth knowledge with the inner workings around the palace. 

"I may not be known as a philosopher, but even a child could figure out where you came from. In fact, you sound like a child. Okay here's what we are going to do. I'll even make it easy on you. You answer all of my questions and I won't torture you. If you lie, I will start braking your bones starting with those quick fingers you have." 

Inu-Yasha saw the struggle in his eyes before he bowed his head in defeat. 

"I'll start out easy this time. What is your name?" 

Hiding behind a curtain of rust colored hair with a subdued air, the boy answered "Shippou. My name is Shippou." 

***   
Sesshoumaru was filled with nervous energy. Even lounging in his study, calm eluded him. 

The current tension at court was so thick that the daily bouts of bickering between Naraku and the brothers had become full-blown war of words. His spies at the palace informed him that a probe had been ordered by the emperor to look into the possibility of a traitor. This news seemed to make The Rat's seat catch on fire. The fact that Inu-Yasha had been chosen to be the head of that probe caused no small amount of irritation and surprisingly, pride. 

'My little brother, all grown up. Doing important missions for the emperor. He could've at least told me! But… no use for anger now, more important things are at stake. Who could the traitor be? Inu-Yasha no doubt will uncover many devious plots of the palace, but he does not have the right mind set for fine-tuned espionage detection. I guess it's my duty as an older brother to help him. What would he do without me…" Sesshoumaru sighed. 

With his normal scowl firmly placed on his face, Sesshoumaru rang the bell to summon Jaken. 

*** 

"So what you are telling me is that, the ring of thieves you belonged to were told to break into my house in the middle of the night to steal something you don't personally know. The other boy, Kahoka, knew because he was the leader. The fact that no one, save this Kahoka, knew who exactly controls this rings just makes it all the better! And whatever garbage you sprouted about my mother was just a random guess on your part." Inu-Yasha surmised the information he forced out of Shippou, the thief. 

"What kind of moron would break into someone's house, on orders, and don't know what to steal!?" 

Angry, hurt and tired beyond endurance, the fuming young thief bit out with no small amount of hatred, "the kind that don't have a choice, jack ass!" That brought a halt to Inu-Yasha's tarred. 

"You are an war orphan," Inu-Yasha stated without a hint emotion as to how he felt about this bit of news. He knew that the war was won at a grate cost but he had never personally seen the devastations of that war. Looking into the eyes of the young thief, Inu-Yasha realized for the first time that the glassy look in this young thief's eyes were the same look in Lady Kikyo's eyes. 

Exhausted from the late hour, the fight, and thinterrogation, Inu-Yasha decided to givee the young thief a chance. A part of him that was rational and alert tried furiously to stop the insane plan but he firmly squashed that voice down. 

"I'm too tired to argue with you right now. So here's what I'm going to do to you: if you swear that you would not betray or steal from me then I'm going to let you go. You can stay here from now on. I don't care. I will provide tutors and any other living necessities for you. In return, I may in the future need you to run some errands for me, nothing completely illegal. However, if you don't swear the oath or betray that oath, I will lock you up and make sure that you will live till the end of your days without ever seeing sunshine." 

Shippou nodded his head emphatically and promised with all of his heart to all of Inu-Yasha's conditions. But through it all, he looked at Inu-Yasha like he lost his mind. 

'Perhaps I have lost my mind,' thought Inu-Yasha with grim humor. 

*** 

The sound of a sliding door woke Shippou from his slumber. His confused mind still could not comprehend his sudden turn of fortune. Two weeks ago he belonged to a gang of thieves, stealing for a living. Today, he had become a houseguest of the great General Inu-Yasha, the greatest war hero. 

'That guy is kind of cool,' Shippou thought to himself, even if he would never say those words out loud. But looking at the new kimono the servant left in the room, Shippou quickly revised his opinion of Inu-Yasha, 'that guy is the biggest jack-ass on the face of the planet!' He can't believe Inu-Yasha was stupid enough to give him a child's kimono to wear, again! 

Shippou gradually grew use to the routine at the estate. The two weeks had passed in a flash. He still put up a show of distaste on principal but respected and admired Inu-Yasha greatly in secret. Though many times, Shippou employed great amount of self-control to stop himself from lifting a valuable from the house and hit Inu-Yasha on the head. 

'I swear he makes me do the writing lessons as a way of torture,' Shippou thought sullenly. 'Why do I have to learn to read and write? "Make sure the ink doesn't drip; the sleeves must be kept clean; correct pressure on the downward stroke, blah, blah, blah." That guy is such a egotistical jerk.' 

While he was reflecting on the unfair punishment he was now forced to endure everyday, the servant Myoga quietly slipped into the room. "Shippou the master bid me to inform you that he will not be home to eat with you tonight. He will be at Lord Naraku's estate for the birthday celebration." 

"That insensitive jack-ass! Making me write this crap all day and then doesn't even have the decency to come back and check it." 

Myogo just shook his head and quietly slipped out of the room. 

Inu-Yasha did not really want to go to the birthday celebration for Naraku. But an opportunity to look at the grounds and poke around was too good to pass up. He invited his friend, confidant, and agent Miroku to accompany him instead of his servant Myoga. Miroku would be much better at finding out secret information about The Rat than the flea Myoga. 

Miroku was dressed for the occasion like Inu-Yasha. His Hair gleamed in the tight low ponytail; his earring sparkled under the firelight; his kimono impeccable in a tasteful blue. Despite these civilized touches, there was something about Miroku that always made Inu-Yasha feel like being cautious. Of course, the problem with Miroku's lecherous habits was not the cause of those feelings. 

Inu-Yasha broke away from Miroku as they entered the dinning hall. Miroku knew what needed to be done and Inu-Yasha had no worries about him. He just hoped to be able to tolerate the gloating smile on The Rat's face during the celebration. In Inu-Yasha's mind, even providing a distraction for Miroku was not enough of a incentive to be in Naraku's company. 

He was prepared for hours of torture-like display of cordiality and formality. Inu-Yasha was not prepared for the sight that greeted him behind the screen door. At the head table, Naraku sat in the seat of honor. To his right sat Prince Shinwa representing the emperor. Inu-Yasha's place would be to Naraku's left in honor of both Sesshomaru and him. 

But behind the three seats, sat a woman of exceptional beauty. Her lowered head could not hide the looks of curiosity at the party. Inu-Yasha knew her pinned up dark hair could cascade like waterfall down her back and her gray eyes could sparkle like a diamond. For the first time in almost two full moons, Inu-Yasha had come face to face with Lady Kikyo. 

-----   



	7. Flight of Birds

Chapter 6 Flight of Birds 

All through dinner, Inu-Yasha could not keep his eyes off of Lady Kikyo. He tried to see if there were any changes in her. Had she been eating well? Was the Rat treating her with the respect she deserved? Did she miss him? From what he could see, she seemed unchanged, quiet, watchful, and beautiful. But behind her sultry glances and sly smiles, her emotions were once again hidden underneath the mask of a whore. The few smiles of happiness Inu-Yasha glimpsed were hidden once again by the smile of a seductress and a mask of indifference. 

He hoped with a sinking sense of desperation that she did miss him, for he could not stop thinking about her. A part of him had always hoped to catch a glimpse of her, a chance to talk to her, or a moment to touch her again. It was hopeless, dangerous, and irresponsible for he had a job to complete. But the seed of that wish had already taken root in his heart. 

He tried to catch her eyes a few times but she gaze would just slid right over him. When she finally rose from her seat to leave the room for more drinks, Inu-Yasha quietly slipped out after her. He followed her out to a terrace where there were no guests. Just when he thought she had not notice his presence, she stopped in a shadowed alcove of a teahouse and waited. 

After a long pregnant moment of silence, she murmured, "Why have you come, Lord Inu-Yasha?" 

"I told you, call me Inu-Yasha, Kikyo," Inu-Yasha choked out. 

"And I have told you Kikyo is not my name. Lady Kikyo is my title." A long tension filled pause ensued. The silence was broken when Lady Kikyo asked again "why have you come, Lord Inu-Yasha?" 

Hurt by her apparent coldness and aloof attitude, he took moment to consider what answers to give. Word he didn't expect poured out of his mouth. "It's dangerous here. Naraku is a devious bastard with connections murkier than mud on a rainy day. His connections run to all the shadowy under dealings in this country, quite possibly beyond. He has things going on that are bigger than you, bigger than the both of us. I don't know how much longer that bastard will be around, but I guarantee, it won't be long. There's a traitor in the palace and I know it is Naraku." Inu-Yasha spit the word out like it was poison. "I don't have enough hard evidence to prove that he was the one because The Rat has been very careful about his dealings." 

_'But not careful enough,'_ a voice sneered in his mind. 

When Lady Kikyo did not react to his news, Inu-Yasha tried to think of another way to see the danger of living at this estate. This meeting was not going to way he envisioned. She did not fall into his arms. She did not beg to be saved from the cruelties of The Rat. She did not even truly acknowledge his presence or words! _'What kind of romantic reunion is this?!'_

Frustrated and angry beyond his endurance, he blurted out "you could die if you stay here! Don't you know what happens to family of traitors? They get executed, like the old saying 'to kill a blade of grass, start at the root.' Women, children, even the servants won't escape the persecution. No one will be spared. The army will come and knock down the door. The soldiers will round up the people and everyone will be put under torture to confess the truth. Naraku himself will get a special brand of questioning, none of it pleasant." 

"And will you being lead that army, my Lord Inu-Yasha?" Lady Kikyo said without emotion. 

"No, of course not!" he replied indignantly. "Come away with me. If you aren't with Naraku, then the soldiers will have no reason to torture and kill you. I will buy your contract from The Rat or just take you away, right now if you like. He can't do anything to me. He can petition the emperor, but the emperor is too busy with other things to worry about this. I won't withdrawn my offer of marriage or pressure you if you don't want to marry me when you come. If you will have me, I still want to marry you. I love you!" 

Though Lady Kikyo's heart pounded like a trapped bird, none of her nervousness, anger, and regret showed on her face or stance. She had to hold her tongue for fear of screaming. Lord Inu-Yasha, had just casually dismissed her as unimportant. His unintentional negligence stinted her pride. When she felt that she could trust her voice to work properly, she turned to look Inu-Yasha in the eye. She saw his sincerity in his actions and heard his conviction in his voice. But her personal honor refused to let her be shifted from one master to another. She can't accept his charity like some beggar off of the street. She worked so hard these years to save up the money. _'Being a whore, though not the most prestigious position,'_ Lady Kikyo thought with an ironic smile, _'is better than a beggar on the streets.'_

She could have run away from the Ichiban no Sakura years ago. But the sense of honor her father had ingrained in her since infancy forbid her to run away from her debt. _'What if there is a way to pay Inu-Yasha back for his generosity?'_ Kikyo mused. _'What if we are business partners? That way, it would be an exchange of goods instead of charity.'_

"Lord Inu-Yasha, you flatter me with your proclamation. But I can't go with you." She held up a hand to forestall his protests. "Yet. I can't go with you, yet. I'm not built for charity, Lord Inu-Yasha. I can't let you come and rescue me from my fate. What I can do is to become partners with you. I will help you search out the information you need to prove that Lord Naraku is the traitor. In exchange, you will grant me my freedom once he and his household have been destroyed… I've known what he was like…for a long time now." She finished with a whisper and with a poignant smile looked toward the nimbus clouds that promised a storm. 

A feeling of infinite dread and foreboding crept up Inu-Yasha's spin and settled in his brain. He nodded his head nonetheless in acquiescence because he understood her reasoning. But the fear that something will go wrong would not leave him alone. This opportunity was what he was looking for since the beginning: a quiet search into Naraku's real dealings and gather of evidence. When Naraku become arrested, he can use his influence to make sure she does not become buried along with the rest of Naraku's riffraff. The emperor will reward her for her loyalty. 

When the silence between them became strained, Lady Kikyo led the way back to the party. 

The rest of the party was insignificant. Miroku was already back from his search when Inu-Yasha and Lady Kikyo returned from their talk. Miroku gave Inu-Yasha suggestive winks but made no other comments. When they reached Inu-Yasha's compound, Miroku reached into his left sleeve and pulled out a small index finger sized statue. It was made of green jade and in the shaped of a fierce guard dog. It was one of Inu-Yasha's personal seal. It was not the official seal, but it was one of the items that were stolen from his study the night of the break in. 

That night two thoughts plagued his mind as he tried to rest: Lady Kikyo's proposal and the stolen seal. Lady Kikyo's proposal and how cold and calculating it was. He can't help but admire her courage despite the unpleasant parallel between her and Sesshomaru. But her calculation had an ultimate goal, her freedom. 'But at what price?' Inu-Yasha thought. The seal proved to be a more dangerous topic. With a personal seal, Naraku could impersonate Inu-Yasha with relative ease. Inu-Yasha suspected that the only reason Naraku hadn't used it was due to timing. He drifted off to an uneasy sleep with images of her hunting gray eyes and heartbreaking smile. 

In the morning, Inu-Yasha had thought up a way for Lady Kikyo and him to keep in touch. His new ward, Shippou would make the perfect go between. He had always suspected that Shippou belonged to the ring of thieves that Naraku was dealing with. The suspicion was proven correct with the recovery of the seal. He didn't want to expose the child to possible danger or use him uncaringly like his old comrades. But there was a spark of honor and courage in Shippou that made Inu-Yasha give him a home also had made Inu-Yasha trust Shippou with this dangerous quest. He knew he could depend on Shippou to carry through with the mission. 

With the decision firmly in mind, Inu-Yasha climbed out of his bed and kicked Myoga, who was sleeping out side his door, awake. The bald round servant blinked sleepiness out of his eyes while Inu-Yasha waited impatiently for his attention. Inu-Yasha hated when Myoga slept outside his door. It was embarrassing and unnecessary. Often Inu-Yasha wished the old flea should just sleep in his own room. As it is, he was just annoyed it had taken Myoga a long time to wake up. 

"I need you to get Shippou. I have a message for him to deliver." Inu-Yasha sighed. 

"I will get him ready right away, Lord Inu-Yasha." Myoga bowed and almost bounced out of the room, leaving Inu-Yasha to brood alone. 

Shippou followed Myoga into Inu-Yasha's workroom a moment later. Inu-Yasha realized that this was the first time Shippou had been invited back into this room since their unplanned encounter that night over two months ago. He smiled warily. I wonder how will he react to my little job for him. I hope he doesn't disappoint me. 

Shippou walked into Inu-Yasha's workroom with trepidation. Beside the occasional joined meals and lessons, Inu-Yasha mostly left him to amuse himself, as long as he does not break anything. This summoning had an, for a lack of better word, official feel to it. Myoga walked into his room, instead of bounced, and informed him that "Lord Inu-Yasha would like a word" with him. _'When had Myoga ever called Inu-Yasha Lord instead of master? When had Inu-Yasha ever summon me? I hope his not sick of me staying here…'_ unsettling thoughts made him jumpy and irritable as he followed Myoga to Inu-Yasha's room. 

By the time they arrived, Shippou convinced himself that Inu-Yasha will not only throw him out but also call the city guards. He will be looked up in a cell in the dirty jails and be left there until he becomes too old to move. Then they'll toss his old body into the yard where the homeless bums sit through their last days. His fear almost made him kneel down and beg Inu-Yasha mercy, forgiveness, and let him stay. Noticing the cowardliness of the thoughts, Shippou stopped the rambling in his head, squared his shoulders and vowed not to beg but to appeal to the sense of justice within Inu-Yasha. 

What Inu-Yasha saw when Shippou stepped in sight was a boy desperately trying to be brave. He felt a sudden surge of pride for his courage. 

"Shippou, you have lived with me for more than two full month." 

'_He is kicking me out!'_

"I'm impressed with your progress in your studies and calligraphy. But…" 

_'He is going to call the city guards,'_

"I didn't call you here to discuss that." 

_'Here it comes…'_

"I need information about your old group of friends, as much as possible." 

_'Please don't… what?'_

"I don't know much about them." Shippou began hesitantly, "A woman, Kanna, took care of us. A boy, Kahouka, was the leader. He trained us and sent us on missions. But I think Kanna is the one that actually pass on the orders. Every time she received a letter, someone had to go do a job. Kahouka picked the people to do the job with him…" he trailed off uncertainly. "Inu-Yasha why did you need to talk to me?" 

Grinning briefly at the breach of protocol, Inu-Yasha told him of assignment as a go between for Lady Kikyo and the suspicion that Shippou's old gang was working for Naraku to steal important government information and document. "I'm not forcing you to do this. You could refuse. Miroku would love the chance to have personal time with Lady Kikyo." Inu-Yasha sighed in disgust. 

"But you have the training of a thief there fore it would be much easier for you to sneak in and out of the estate. I suspect that some, if not most of, my agents are in some way or form being monitored by The Rat. It would be harder for them to slip in and out anonymously. 

"You are a… young man." Inu-Yasha decided to refrain from using the word child. He remembered that Shippou became quite upset when presented with children's kimono. "But still small enough to slip about unnoticed in the city, if you choose. Normally I don't like involving I don't know much about. But I think you are brave enough and honorable enough to do this not just for me, but also for the emperor and the country... Will you do it?" 

Ego greatly inflated from Inu-Yasha's praise, Shippou did not hesitate in giving an affirmative reply along with an honored oath to keep the secret till his grave. He then hurried out to his own room to search for his old gear. Inu-Yasha felt proud that his manipulation worked. _'Take that Sesshomaru, I can so make people do what I want.' _ He grinned madly at an image of Sesshomaru pulling out his hair. 

Shippou mean while could not be more thrilled. Not only was he not being kicked out of his new home, he was also given the chance to be a hero. _'Serving the emperor and saving the country. Being a hero, whoa!'_ Shippou could not stop his grin of delight. 

The next day at dusk, Shippou slipped out of his home in his old thieving outfit and headed toward the Spider House, as his old group called the place. 

Lady Kikyo waited by the east moon gate for the arrival of Inu-Yasha's messenger. Lord Naraku had given her freedom to roam the estate alone. But she was forbidden to leave without escort or head covering so "the ruffians won't be over come with desire" Lord Naraku had said. Just as she was arriving at the gate, a shadow moved. Stifling a scream, Lady Kikyo cautiously moved closer to the spot where the movement was. 

A little boy about ten stepped out of the shadows. His orange hair under the light of the moon looked like the color of dried blood. He must be the messenger from Inu-Yasha, Lady Kikyo thought. "Greetings, little one," Lady Kikyo called out softly. "Where hence did you come?" 

"First of all lady, I'm not little. Second, what are you jabbering about? Inu-Yasha sent me to get the message you have. Do you have it?" Shippou felt quite indignant after being called 'little one.' At first he was in awe with her beauty. That quickly turned to displeasure when her words reached home. 

Nonplused, Lady Kikyo handed Shippou a scroll she had hidden in her sleeve. The scroll contained information she had gleamed from the documents inside Naraku's private chamber. She when she searched through the papers, there was only time to note a few names and locations before she must leave for fear of discovery. Though she did not know any of the individuals, but the families they are from were all very infamous. 

'When Inu-Yasha has the evidence he needs, I will be free.' That was the only thought to sustain her during her theft of the documents. She watched in concern as the young messenger scramble over the wall and disappeared into the night. In her heart, she knew that her time was almost at an end. 

Inu-Yasha anxiously waited Shippou's return from his midnight excursion. He worried about the safety of both Shippou and Lady Kikyo. Naraku was a vicious bastard, that much Inu-Yasha knew. He just hoped that if the day came and Naraku found out about Lady Kikyo's involvement, The Rat would be too obsessed with her to harm her. Of course, the best-case scenario would be The Rat executed for treason and never finding out about her involvement. Shippou, brave as he is, was still a child in Inu-Yasha's mind. His conscious could not let him sit quietly while the child was away in a dangerous mission. 

The sound of a sliding door alerted Inu-Yasha from his contemplation. The young ex-thief quietly stepped into the room face aglow with excitement from the success of the job. He raised his right arm and from within the sleeve he retrieved a thin scroll. Inu-Yasha instantly grabbed and tore open the seal. 

"Well, what did it say?" Shippou asked impatiently. Irritated from being interrupted from his musing, Inu-Yasha shot him an annoyed look and told him to go to bed. The information by itself was not very disturbing. But including this one with the other information Miroku had gathered the implications were astronomically bad. 

_'The Taira* clan clan seemed to have been very busy,'_ Inu-Yasha thought in disgust. _ 'Naraku was bad enough. But adding that to the feuding between the Minamoto and the Taira clan into the mix, this country could be heading toward civil war and utter chaos. What does Naraku have anything to do with the Taira clan? What does Naraku have anything to do with the rebellious Hokaido region up north and the scheming Taria clan?'_

The only way he knew of getting more information was to go The Rat's place of residence, The Black Spider estate. 

The next night, a pale gray shadow slipped through the gates of Inu-Yasha's estate and dashed through the city streets with speed and ease. The long promised storm had finally hit. Snow flakes were falling softly on to the streets of a silent city. No one noticed the tall shadow or made any comment if they did. He jumped easily over the walls of the Black Spider estate and headed toward the main house. Lord Inu-Yasha had never stepped this far into the sprawling estate. 

As he searched for the room that contained Naraku's office, his ears began picking up sounds that did not be long to the quiet night. Voices could be heard over the next bend of the building. Harsh voices arguing and fighting in the middle of the night in a place where no one should be. Suddenly, a loud crackling noise stopped the fighting. 

Inu-Yasha eased his body along the wall, peered around the building, and looked inside the room where the argument came from. What he saw in there set his blood boiling. Naraku, Lady Kikyo along with three men who looked like hired thugs were inside of Naraku's office. Naraku was fuming in rage while his face turned an ugly shade of red. In his left hand, he held a horsewhip and was snapping it in impatience. The thugs stood guard over a battered and bruised Lady Kikyo. She was laying pathetically on the floor one hand clutching the fresh cut on her face while the other tried to prop her frail body off of the floor. Blood soaked the back of her kimono pooling on the ground. 

Inu-Yasha longed to run in there and rescue her. But lifetime of training and ingrained philosophy "duty first" stopped him, barely. Each blow Naraku landed on Lady Kikyo's body seemed like a blow to Inu-Yasha's heart. An eternity later, Naraku stalked out of the room instructing his lackeys to dispose of "the traitorous whore." Three despicable looking men carried her body out of the room into the streets. Inu-Yasha stalked the group through the dark allies and snow filled air. They carried her limp body to a dark ally in the middle of the fishing district and dumped it in a pile of rotting fish. 

Feeling like coward for not hunting down the men and making them pay for their involvement in Lady Kikyo's current state, Inu-Yasha dug vigorously through the pile trying to get to Lady Kikyo. He pulled her easily out of the pile and carried her like she weighed nothing. During his run back to his estate, Inu-Yasha could only pray that Lady Kikyo would be well. 

"Inu… Yasha?" 

"Don't talk, hold on Kikyo. I'm taking you to a safe place." I'll always protect you. Inu-Yasha thought silently as he ran through the darkened streets. 

Lady Kikyo knew her time has come. Since Inu-Yasha stomped into the banquet hall all those months ago, her life had not been the same. His rash decisions and whirlwind emotions had wakened her soul's need for joy and happiness. Now that her time on earth has come to an end, all she wanted was for Inu-Yasha to remember her. She no longer had time to hold back. 

She weakly lifted her head off of his shoulder and pleaded for him to stop. Inu-Yasha looked down at her with panic. But her almost happy expression broke his heart all over again. 

"Please, Inu-Yasha. I know my turn at this life is almost over… You said you loved me, yet you never even knew who I am. But… But despite all that, I've come to love you." She had to pause gather her breath and strength to finish what was left unsaid in her heart. "I still have never shared my self with you." Lady Kikyo took a shuddering breath and gathered more strength to continue. Tears poured freely downed Inu-Yasha's face as he watch hopelessly. His moment of joy upon hear her love for him soon followed with the dawning realization that they could never share a future together. 

"I love you too Kikyo. Please, just hold on for a bit longer, we are almost there," he begged. 

"Ka… Kagome." 

"What?" Inu-Yasha asked with confused sorrow. 

"The little girl that ran through the woods, her name was Kagome," she whispered wistfully. "My name… was Kagome. Please, I want to hear the name my mother gave me on someone else's lips one last time before… Emmaoh-sama claims my soul." 

"Kagome…" By now, Inu-Yasha had accepted Lady Kikyo, Kagome would not live through the night. He gradually stopped running and laid her gently down a patch of fresh snow. He had been weeping quietly, now he could no longer keep his silence. A chocked sob escaped his lips followed by another. 

In his grief, he did not notice Kagome's movement until she placed his hand on her hand and opened his palm. She gently laid a glowing jewel inside his hand. In the darkness of the night, the jewel seemed to glow with a soft pulsing light. 

"Inu-Yasha, this is the Shinko no Tama. A treasure my family has guarded… has guarded since the beginning of time. Legend has it, as long as the jewel is protected," a coughing fit had seized her body. "As long as the jewel is protected, this country will always stand. But with my death, the jewel will be left with no guardian. I want you to guard it in my stead. This jewel… is the only thing I have and I want you to have it. Good-bye, my beloved Lord Inu-Yasha…" 

"No! You can't die! And don't call me Lord, damn it!" His cry of rage fell on deaf ears. 

"I think… I think I would have made a beautiful bride. Maybe in our next life… I… love…" her strength ran out but her eyes conveyed all of her love to Inu-Yasha. 

"I love you too, Kagome… My beautiful Lady Kikyo." 

That night in the icy river, the body of Lady Kikyo found its final resting place. 

Inu-Yasha still thought of her as Lady Kikyo, the untouchable beauty, and the forbidden fruit. He said a quiet prayer for her soul to move speedily through the next world. He could not imagine who was the girl Kagome. That girl ceased to exist long before Inu-Yasha ever knew of her existence. Like Lady Kikyo had said to him that night long ago, Lady Kikyo was her name and who she was. He did know that he loved Lady Kikyo with all of his being. 

Feathery snow covered the trail of footprints leading away from the rapids. By the time the morning sun peaked over the horizon, the beautiful Lady Kikyo became another faceless casualty in this time of chaos. 

______ 

AN: *Taira and the Minamoto clan are real Japanese historical clans. Each has held the Japanese throne for a period of time. My history is muddled and have taken some creative licenses with the events. Also the proverb Inu-Yasha said to Lady Kikyo in the garden is a real Chinese proverb, often used to describe the executions of whole families decreed by emperors. Lovely isn't it. 

Also, Emmaoh is the name of their diety of death. 

Again, thanks for reading. This is for all the wonderful people who left very encouraging reviews. Also, my beta reader was not able to get back to me about this chapter so I'm counting on the reviewer to show me my mistakes to be corrected. Feel free to rip my chapter into piece, as long as it's constructive criticism. 


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